Jordan came downstairs. "Mr. and Mrs. Frazier, I need to report something. Debra slacked off this afternoon. She just woke up."Debra shot him a glare. "Whose side are you on?""Not yours," he grinned.Jordan's mother intervened, "Alright, don't bicker like kids. You're grown-ups now.""She's just dumb. Mr. and Mrs. Frazier are so smart, but she didn't inherit any of it.""What did you say? You're the dumb one.""You're dumb.""I'm not. You are dumb."...The four seniors listened to their back-and-forth and laughed.Dylan Potter said, "Once Debra's coming-of-age ceremony is done today, let her stay at our house for a few days. Now that they both have been admitted to Arcane Academy, it's time they get some good training."Gael nodded. "Good idea. I'm sure they'll learn a lot under your guidance.""I don't want to," Debra and Jordan objected in unison.They would rather do military training than end up under Dylan's strict control.Gael sighed, "You'll learn something use
"Debra! You came to tattle on me, didn't you?" Jordan shouted, storming into the room.Barton appeared in the doorway soon after, panting, "I'm sorry, sir. I couldn't stop him.""Don't listen to her," Jordan said. "She fell asleep in the backyard."He pointed at Debra. "Admit it. You were slacking off."Debra felt wronged, looking at Andrew with puppy eyes. "I was just too tired, so...""So, you fell asleep." Jordan smugly crossed his arms. "I went through all that trouble to organize your birthday. I picked the cake and managed the kitchen, and you? You slacked off in the backyard. Do you even know how many people are coming today? There are no excuses. Andrew won't back you up on this.""Andrew..." Debra pouted, tugging at Andrew's sleeve.Andrew smiled and winked at Barton, who took the hint and grabbed Jordan by the ear."Sorry, Mr. Jordan Potter, please come with me," he said.Jordan was taken aback. "What are you doing? You've got the wrong person. Debra is the one at fa
Debra perked up. "You can't take back a gift. Wait and see. I'll find you."She rushed back to her room.Jordan was supervising the cleaning. "Hey, we just mopped the floor. Are you doing this on purpose?"Debra ignored him. Finding the gift was her top priority.Erica, who had been looking for Debra, came to the third floor. Debra was on the floor, using her phone's flashlight to look under the bed."What are you looking for?" Erica asked. "We have less than two hours before the guests arrive. Come on, let's get you ready.""An hour is enough," Debra replied. "I'm looking for the gift Andrew prepared for me.""What gift? You've got enough already.""Andrew said a girl's coming-of-age gift has to be special and luxurious.""But everything he gives you is luxurious.""Andrew said as long as I'm happy, he'll give me anything.""Damn rich people."Debra had searched every nook and cranny, but there was no sign of the gift.Erica helped but gave up quickly.Half an hour later
Erica pulled Debra out of the room. "Alright, my lady, it's time to get all dolled up. After today, you'll officially be an adult. Enjoy your last bit of childhood while you can."Debra had been looking forward to this day, but when it finally came, she felt a little melancholic.After this, she would become an adult, which meant no more being spoiled or throwing tantrums.Several big shots arrived for the party. Since the Frazier family's place wasn't as big as the Potter family's, they had decided to host the dinner at the Potter Mansion.The Potter Mansion had never been open to the public before, let alone hosting guests. It showed how much importance both families attached to Debra.A sleek car pulled up in front of the mansion. Jeffrey stepped out first and opened the car door for Claudia.In an aqua dress, the international film star grabbed everyone's attention as soon as she made her entrance.Jeffrey offered her his arm. Claudia smiled sweetly and linked her arm with h
Fermin looked away, his ears turning red. "You look better than before.""What do you mean by that?" Debra huffed."Keep your voice down.""No way.""I'm out of here."Jordan quickly left the room.Erica patted her shoulder. "Alright, it's about time. Let's head downstairs."Debra pouted but soon realized she had a bigger problem."I can't walk.""Huh? You've never worn heels before?"Debra shook her head. She had focused on her studies and had no time for high heels."What should I do?""Just don't run around like you're wearing sneakers, okay?"...Downstairs, Juan arrived right on time.Most of the important guests were already there, including his parents, who were chatting with Gael."Juan, come here," Claudia called, waving him over.She said, "This is my son, Juan, and this is Mr. Frazier, the CEO of the Frazier Group.""Nice to meet you, Mr. Fraizer," Juan said, shaking hands with him."Likewise," Gael replied, impressed. "I've heard things about you. Your fa
A spotlight shone down, and a flash of red caught Juan's eye.Debra's red dress was bold and eye-catching, but on her, it felt completely natural.Like any debutante, she looked a bit shy.Juan was captivated by her flawless features and refined temperament. She seemed to deserve every beautiful word in the world.An unexpected pang of pain struck his chest. It was a feeling he had never experienced before, like his heart was stolen."Thank you all for coming to my 18th birthday celebration. I've prepared a piano piece for everyone. I'm not great at the piano, but I hope you'll like it," Debra said shyly, casting her eyes downward.She walked over to the white piano and began playing a light, cheerful melody.The audience enjoyed the music. Only Juan kept staring at her, feeling increasingly sure he had seen her and had heard her music before. He just couldn't remember when.Erica murmured from a distance, "Hope she won't hit the wrong note. I supervised her practice all night.
Andrew gathered his thoughts and got dressed. He opened his bedroom door to find Jordan standing outside, looking concerned."Are you okay?""I'm fine."Andrew reached out to pat Jordan's head, but in the end, his hand landed on Jordan's shoulder."Let's get down."Jordan couldn't shake the feeling that something was off with Andrew. Everything had been fine during the day, but now he seemed like a different person.In the banquet hall, Debra's high school friends were celebrating her birthday. After taking some group photos, Gael took her around to greet their family friends, proudly announcing that his beautiful daughter had come of age.Andrew watched with a gentle smile."Andrew." Debra spotted him from across the room, her eyes lighting up.Debra lifted the hem of her dress and trotted over.Erica saw her unsteady footsteps. "Hey, slow down,"When Debra reached Andrew's side, she was slightly out of breath."Do I look good today?""You look beautiful.""Why did you c
Randy started unpacking the bags, but Erica was unimpressed."It's Debra's coming-of-age ceremony, and you bring durian?""What's the matter? I've got some for her, too."Randy enthusiastically handed out durian cakes to everyone.Debra looked down at the box in her hand, unsure of what to say. She never imagined that on her coming-of-age day, she'd be gifted a durian cake. Randy glanced at his watch and said, "You guys enjoy yourselves. I've got something to do. I'll be going now.""Where are you going?" Erica protested."Marion is back from overseas. I'm going to pick him up," Randy explained.Debra froze at the mention of the name. "Marion?" "Yeah. You met him when you were little," Randy replied, puzzled."Marion is my cousin," Erica chimed in. "Your memory's really poor."Debra felt like the world around her went quiet for a moment. The name sounded so familiar. He seemed to be someone important to her. She just couldn't remember."Debra, why are you spacing out th
"No biggie. I'm just that sharp," Randy grinned."Don't flatter yourself." Erica smacked his arm, turning to Debra. "If that's the play, we'll set up around the valley early.""We scoped it out last time. Here's the terrain map Marion roughed out. Memorize the basics, just in case," Debra said.Jordan spoke up. "I'll plant people inside to learn the lay. If things go down, we'll back each other up."He paused, frowning. "But we've only got one path. Without the full picture, it's still risky.""Got it here," a voice called from the door.Everyone turned to see Theda walking in with Robert. A map was in her hand."It's you guys." Debra was surprised.Theda had been busy with her business. She barely had time to breathe, not to mention show up there."This mess is huge. If the Illuminati takes Seamar City, my business is done," Theda said.She'd seen Jeffery's crazy side. The Illuminati couldn't be anything good.She unrolled the map and stuck it on the board. "This is the val
Liza eased up, knowing Debra was always faithful.She would help if she said so."Is the Illuminati really that bad?" Liza asked, having never seen Fermin cornered like that."Yeah," Debra said flat-out.Liza fought back her tears. "I'm not as smart as you guys, but if I can help...""You've done plenty," Debra said, patting her head.The once-bratty lady had grown into someone brave and kind. They'd all seen her change.But this was too risky. They couldn't bet on her life."Everything's set," Marion said, striding in with Jordan.Liza blinked at their suits. They looked solemn, as if ready for a last stand.Debra nodded. "Alright, let's go over everyone's setup and run through the plan."Randy wheeled in a blackboard that showed the outskirts map.The Four Great Families had owned Seamar City for ages. Their eyes and ears were on every corner.They'd linked up north, south, east, and west, with Juan's lines tied in.According to intel, the Illuminati hadn't sunk deep ro
"Just listen to me and go," Fermin said, pulling his hand free.The next thing she knew, he yanked her toward the emergency exit."Fermin!" she yelped.The restaurant staff, loyal to Fermin, hustled her into the stairwell. By the time the guards outside caught on, she was gone."Get her," the guards barked.If Liza slipped away, Michael would have their heads. But before they could chase, Fermin's crew boxed them in."You know what this means?" one guard spat, dropping all politeness.They knew he was just a puppet. If he broke free, Bert's life would be done."Kill them," Fermin ordered, turning back to the restaurant.A waiter dropped a tray, the crash drowning out muffled screams from the stairwell.Liza was already in a cab. She tried to turn back, but a staffer blocked her. "Miss, you can't go anywhere but Seamar City. The Potter Mansion is your safest bet. Think of what Mr. Eaton's doing for you."Her stay overseas made her a hostage. While she was here, Fermin was lea
The driver hesitated but complied. "Sure, Mr. Eaton. How long do you plan to stay? There's a meeting this afternoon.""An hour," Fermin replied.From their conversation, Liza caught on that their family was under the Illuminati's thumb. The driver would not grill Fermin about his schedule otherwise."Who're you to butt in? He'll hang out with me for as long as he wants," she snapped.The driver bit back his gripes. "My bad. Sorry."Liza clung to Fermin's arm, heart pounding. She had been pampered her whole life, and her family had always been untouchable. She never imagined they'd be under someone else's boot.The car stopped by the mall. Liza and Fermin got out.When the guards tried to follow, she whirled. "My brother and I are going shopping. What're you tagging along for?""Protecting you and Mr. Eaton," one said.She opened her mouth to argue, but Fermin cut in. "They can carry bags for you."She hesitated. With these guards tagging along, they couldn't talk about the si
"Dad." Liza rushed to the bed, grabbing Bert's hand.In her mind, Bert was a stern old grump. He was always tough and sharp.But now, the illness had taken a toll on him. He had shrunk, and his hair had gone gray overnight.Fermin stood behind her, watching with pain.In fact, Bert had been ill for a while now. He had been grooming Fermin for years.But once he'd caught wind of Fermin's plans, Bert would rather kill him and trash their legacy than let him join the Illuminati.Fermin knew this day was coming. Liza didn't. Bert never wanted her to.She froze, feeling like his hand had twitched. She stopped crying and spun to Fermin."Did you see it? Dad moved..." she exclaimed.Fermin clapped a hand over her mouth, a move that confused her.He shook his head, warning her off. She nodded fast, signaling she'd keep quiet.Fermin checked the door and eased his hand off. "Dad's fine. Let's head home, alright?"Liza glanced at Bert with reluctance but wiped her tears. "Okay.""Co
Drake's mouth hung open, but no words came out."I swapped the drug for saline," Juan said. "You're on your own tonight. You've only had one dose, so there might still be a chance. If you don't wanna die here, suck it up. Don't let Kale die for nothing."Juan dropped that and left the room.Drake slumped on the bed. Old memories came flooding back, from their first meeting to their camaraderie. They had been through thick and thin together.If it hadn't been for him, Kale wouldn't have been dead....In the hospital, Liza kept watch outside the ICU where Bert lay.Two black-suited guards blocked the door. Even after surgery, they wouldn't let her in."When can I see him?" she asked, clenching her fists.The guards stood like statues, ignoring her."That's my dad," she shouted, pounding their chests. "I need to be with him. Move. Get out of my way.""Stop it." Fermin strode up, grabbing her swinging fist. "You're an Eaton. Act like it."He turned and slapped a guard hard. "Y
Juan arrived at a villa on Seamar City's outskirts. It was where Drake was locked up.It was pitch black in the room, with only a bed. The windows were nailed shut.The moment Drake handed over the stone, he'd guessed his fate. The Illuminati had rules for traitors: the blessing ritual.But that "blessing" was just injecting their latest drug into turncoats. They would be used as free guinea pigs. Death was the best outcome. Surviving meant real torture.It didn't hurt. Rather, it felt like heaven. That was why they called it a blessing."When did they shoot you up with that stuff?" Juan asked.Drake leaned back on the bed, nonchalant. "I gave them the stone. It doesn't matter to you. Just give me the drug."By night, he was a mess.The stuff could ease the pain for an hour. Then hell would kick in. Once the cravings hit, it felt like ants gnawing his bones.The pain wired into his nerves. At its worst, he'd bash the wall, tempted to bite his tongue off.He couldn't leave wit
To the bishop, Debra and her crew were small fry.A hundred years ago, the Four Great Families might've been untouchable. But now? Their roots were shaky.The Illuminati, on the other hand, had grown unstoppable.For the stone, he'd see them and let them feel the Illuminati's might. It was something callows like them couldn't touch."Tell them I pick the time and place," he said. "Get the stone ready. If it's fake, they'll get the harshest punishment from God.""Yes, Master," Michael replied, turning to leave.Lara stood up to protest, "I'm against this. We should take the chance to wipe them out and take their assets."In her mind, the four families were nothing. When they could snatch what they wanted, there was no need for deals or games."God spares all," the bishop muttered. "I'll give them a shot to live. If they bow, why kill them?"Lara fell silent, but Frederic stepped out of the shadows. He asked, "What about the stone Drake gave us?""Only one of the two stones is
Night settled in deep.Debra and the crew were still waiting for Michael's reply."Still nothing? They don't buy it, do they?" Erica paced, antsy."Give it time. They'll bite," Debra said, clutching her phone.She had promised Kale she would bring Drake back. No breaking that.A text finally pinged her phone. It was Michael.Everyone heaved a sigh of relief. Like Debra said, the Illuminati couldn't rule out her having the real stone.If theirs was fake, Michael and his crew couldn't afford the fallout."Marion, it's on you now," Debra said.The Houston family had military muscle on tap. The Potter family owned elite guards and intel. Erica and Randy were solid backups.But this meeting? Debra had to go herself."Does it have to be now? Maybe wait till you're healed?" Erica said.Debra shook her head. "Drake is at risk every day he's with them. I can't take that chance. Just like they can't risk us holding the stone.""She's right," Randy jumped in. "Drag this out, and who